Audiovestibular functioning of post-menopausal females with osteoporosis and osteopenia

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are progressive disorders characterized by decreased bone mass, especially in postmenopausal women. These can be associated with body pain, fractures, hearing loss and balance disorders. The present study aims to evaluate audio-vestibular function in postmenopausal patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis.

The study included 48 postmenopausal women (new subjects) diagnosed with osteoporosis (n = 23) or osteopenia (n = 25) in the age range of 50-66 years, as well as 28 normal women as controls. Audiological testing included pure tone audiometry (conventional and extended high-frequency audiometry), speech audiometry, impedance audiometry and otoacoustic emissions, including both transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). All subjects also underwent vestibular evoked myogenic potentials testing (both ocular and cervical VEMPs).

In the present study, hearing was worse at all frequencies in the osteoporosis group in comparison with the osteopenia and control groups, with worse speech recognition and discrimination scores and OAEs. Vestibular function was affected in 95.65% of women with osteoporosis and 76% of those with osteopenia.

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are risk factors for vestibular dysfunction and hearing deficits in postmenopausal women. Thus, hearing and vestibular function should be monitored by audiological and vestibular testing periodically in these individuals.